Adam Ingram: Key targets have been set for the chief executive of the Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA) for the financial year 2006-07. The targets, which build on the already high standards of service provided by the agency since its formation in 1992, are as follows:
	Key Target 1: Support our MOD policy and decision making customers by meeting at least 95 per cent. of the timeliness and quality targets in our service level and project agreements, and by scoring at least 90 per cent. in our customer satisfaction survey.
	Key Target 2: Increase DASA's support for policy and decision making within MOD by delivering five key new products and/or services.
	Key Target 3: Support the Department's accountability by publishing the five key national statistics on time, with no major errors and in accordance with national statistics guidelines and protocols; by meeting at least 95 per cent. of the timeliness and quality targets for other defence national statistics, and by meeting timeliness targets for answering parliamentary questions.
	Key Target 4: Develop and agree, by end July 2006, a DASA information strategy; implement actions planned under that strategy for 2006-07
	Key Target 5: Make sufficient efficiency gains to ensure DASA can implement and manage the new DASA JPA personnel data system

Agriculture and Fisheries Council: 25 April 2006

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs represented the United Kingdom at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels on 25 April 2006.
	The Council adopted a proposal to broaden the scope of the current provision for exceptional measures in the poultry meat and eggs sectors to help them through a drop in sales caused by consumer fears about avian influenza. I supported the proposals but stressed that the measures should be limited in time and in budget. The Commission tabled a declaration saying that measures already adopted by member states would be considered for co-financing on a case-by-case basis, and that serious market disturbance would be defined at EU, not member state level.
	The Council held an exchange of views on a Commission Communication on improving the economic situation in the fishing industry which proposed a range of short and long term measures. I led calls from several member states that measures should deliver a profitable industry which can pay for its own investments and which was characterised by fleet capacity to match available resources.
	The Council also held an exchange of views on the Commission's action plan for simplifying the Common Fisheries Policy. The action plan focuses on efforts including process changes to improve the quality of the annual quota decision.
	The Council held a policy debate on Commission proposals for a management plan for plaice and sole in the North sea, on the basis of a questionnaire drawn up by the presidency. The proposal aims to manage the fisheries exploiting the stocks of North sea plaice and sole so that they are rebuilt to—and then maintained—within safe biological limits. UK Government views have been submitted to the Commission in writing.
	Under any other business, In the absence the Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection the Council took note of a written update on avian influenza H5N1 in the European Union and third countries.
	The Agriculture Commissioner updated the Council on progress in the WTO agricultural negotiations. She said that the 30 April deadline agreed in Hong Kong for modalities would not be met but stressed that the EU offer from last October still remained on the table.

Re-appointment of the House of Lords Appointments Commission

Tony Blair: I am pleased to announce the re-appointment of the House of Lords Appointments Commission until the end of the year, pending further discussions on House of Lords reform.
	The Chairman is Lord Stevenson of Coddenham CBE, a Cross-Bench Peer in the House of Lords and the Chairman of HBOS plc.
	The independent Members are: Mrs. Angela Sarkis CBE, Governor of the BBC and an independent management consultant; and, Mrs. Felicity Huston, Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland and a tax consultant.
	In addition, there are also three party political Members who are each nominated by one of the three main political parties: the Labour Party Member is the right hon. the Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde; the Conservative Party Member is the right hon. the Lord Hurd of Westwell CH CBE; the Liberal Democrat Member is the Lord Dholakia OBE DL.